


Spoilers

by samptra



Series: Winter Steve [7]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Love, M/M, Multiverse, Sappy, Sassy Steve Rogers, Sex, Steve Rogers as the Winter Soldier, Sweet, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 23:20:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20016439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samptra/pseuds/samptra
Summary: "Humour me, Nicky, how do you know who he is?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, Steve a looming, comforting presence at his back.“Damit Stark, I swear to God, you just like to piss me off…” He sighed crossing his arms levelling his best glare in Tony’s direction. “That’s Steve Rogers, Captain America.”Tony’s mind stalled out so fast he got metal whiplash, “Steve is….ummm….he….” clearing his throat Tony carefully got his words in order.“Steve Rogers is….”“Captain America,” Fury snapped, looking 100% done with this conversation.Tony craned his neck back looking up at Steve, his expression unchanged, but Tony could feel the metal hand holding the back of his suit hard enough to bend the alloy.“Toto…I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”





	Spoilers

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'm back! I can't seem to get enough of Winter Steve, ideas just keep popping up and I'm like omg I need to write. Even as I post this one I have an idea for another, I think we need to do a proposal one...with maybe a kidnap motif? Still working out the specifics in my head, anyway enjoy this one. I'm already working on another god help me. 
> 
> Note: Italics = Russian

* * *

“Ouch…” he groaned rolling his side, his whole body protesting the movement. Slowly blinking his eyes, he tried to clear his muzzy mind as he took in his surroundings.

Where the hell was he?

Shaking his head, he peeled back the metal of his helmet blowing sweat-damp hair out of his eyes. He should probably get a haircut but Steve had confessed to liking it a little shaggy… Steve!

“Steve?” he echoed his thoughts panic spiking in him then, where was Steve? What had…

A grunt off to his left drew his attention and he the panic that had been building ebbed as he spotted a familiar figure lying on his side next to him. He exhaled shakily reaching out metal hands to gently check him over.

“Steve love you ok?” he mumbled, rolling the man carefully towards him gently pulling down the mask he wore revealing blue eyes ringed in black looking at him a little dazed.

“M’fine,” he rasped bringing his right hand up to rub at his eyes.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief running metal fingers absently through blonde hair as he started sorting through his thoughts. He glanced around, they were in an alley of some sort, but why? What had they been doing?

“Steve, you remember anything?” he mumbled still cradling the man in his lap.

Steve frowned, brow creasing in thought, “We’d been fighting, a scientist? Long fight….” He mumbled.

Tony remembered it had been some no-name scientist ranting about something…it has seemed rather innocuous at the time.

“There was a machine, I told you not to touch it,” Steve rasped looking up at him blue eyes narrowed.

“You touched it, didn’t you?”

Tony frowned, “I did not,” he insisted. Although as he said it he knew it was a lie. He remembered being interested, curious about what it could do. Steve reaching to for him…

“Did we go back in time again?” Steve was looking up at him in resignation. Tony couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up as he leaned down kissing him on the nose.

“No that one was not a time machine,” he frowned, “I don’t think at least.” Kissing Steve’s forehead then he gently sat the man up as they both gained their feet.

“Should probably figure out where exactly we are,” Tony mumbled glancing towards the mouth of the alley, he could see people passing on the street, hear the rumble of cars.

Steve grunted beside him pulling up his mask back up, Tony willed his helmet back on as well. Cautiously they moved to the mouth of the alley, Steve’s arm whirred quietly as he shifted his rifle in his hands, ready at a moment’s notice.

Tony glanced out, immediately recognizing New York, “Still in New York,” he noted to his companion. He stepped forward slowly a paper crinkling under his boot. Curious he looked down his display zooming in on the date.

“Well shit,” Tony mumbled, Steve hummed behind them.

“Well love, good news or bad news?” Tony asked looking around the street.

“Bad,” Steve rasped.

“We went back in time,” Tony responded.

Steve sighed, “And the good?”

“We only went back to 2012.”

"Well that's something then," his hoarse voice was a little muffled behind the mask he wore. 

Tony nodded only half listening, there was something familiar about the date, why did he know it? He was bad with dates that what he Friday for.

“Friday?” he tried but his AI was annoying silent, goddamn time travel.

Heaving a sigh Tony stepped into the street proper then, and suddenly people were looking and pointing, cell phones going up to record him. Well that made sense, he’d been a regular fixture in New York by then. He turned to say something to Steve when all hell broke loose.

Black SUV’s screeched to a halt blocking off the alley as non-descript Agents poured out surrounding them and levelling guns. Tony heard the growl, heard Steve clicking off the safety, feel him shift readying for a fight.

Quickly he turned, “ _Stand down love_ ,” he spoke in Russian and Steve paused.

“ _Anthony, what is going on?”_ He growled back in rapid-fire Russian, clearly agitated.

“Stark,” a familiar voice barked but Tony didn’t look at him, he retracted his helmet keeping his eyes on Steve. He couldn’t see them for his mask but he knew those baby blues were on him.

“ _Steve, do you trust me_ ,” he asked still in Russian.

“ _With my life_ ,” he answered promptly and Tony felt a warm well in his chest, good God he loved this man.

He spoke louder in English, “Fury tell you man to lower their weapons or this will be a bloodbath,” never once taking his eyes of the love of his life he waited watching; Steve easing a finger slowly off the trigger.

“ _I got this love, maybe take your mask off and smile?”_ He tried to joke but Steve just grunted.

Tony turned towards Fury then, “Hey bright eye,” he grinned feeling Steve move to press against his back.

"Stark," the man looked him over, a brow-raising in a clear question, “What are you doing here?”

As much as Tony liked to pick on Fury, the man was no dummy, Tony was currently sporting his latest suit, far advanced from the one he was running 2012, and as much as he hated to admit it, he probably looked older then he would have. 

“Better question, why are you here guns blazing?” He returned trying to figure out how he was going to sort this mess out.

“Abnormal energy signature…” he started but trailed off looking past Tony, his visible eye-widening. 

“Rogers?” he exhaled in disbelief. He directed his attention back to Tony looking more than a little confused, “What the hell is going on?”

Tony glanced behind him, Steve had taken off his mask, the eye black he wore making ice blue eyes startlingly intent in contrast. His face was devoid of emotion, Tony called it his ‘murder face’ it was more than a little unnerving. Something clicked in Tony’s head then, he whipped around pinning Fury with a look.

“What a minute you know who he is?” he demanded.

Fury looked more irritated than usual, “Really Stark? What game are you playing?”

"Humour me, Nicky, how do you know who he is?” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, Steve a looming, comforting presence at his back.

“Damit Stark, I swear to God, you just like to piss me off…” He sighed crossing his arms levelling his best glare in Tony’s direction. “That’s Steve Rogers, Captain America.”

Tony’s mind stalled out so fast he got metal whiplash, “Steve is….ummm….he….” clearing his throat Tony carefully got his words in order.

“Steve Rogers is….”

“Captain America,” Fury snapped, looking 100% done with this conversation.

Tony craned his neck back looking up at Steve, his expression unchanged, but Tony could feel the metal hand holding the back of his suit hard enough to bend the alloy.

“Toto…I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

-#-#-#-

“$100 says they went back in time again,” Clint leaned on his bow looking at the others.

Sam snorted, “Stupid money, how about we bet on how far back they went this time?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Clint looked intrigued.

“We shouldn’t bet on that, we don’t even know they went back in time,” Bucky sighed, trying to look stern.

They stood around the small machine as Bruce spoke in low tones to the contrite looking young scientist who seemed to be in shock over the whole episode.

“Tony never could leave well enough alone,” Rhodey sighed crossing his arms.

“I distinctly heard Steve tell him not to touch the giant machine sparking electricity,” Clint mused.

Bucky snorted everyone had heard that seconds before Tony had reached out.

It was like déjà vu, Tony and Steve’s little time travel escape had been less than a month ago, and Bucky would have thought at this point Tony would have learned his lesson. For a genius, the man could be incredibly stupid. This time though, Steve had managed to grab him before whatever happened causing both of them vanish.

Bucky rubbed his eyes, wondering how this was his life.

“Naw, maybe they went to the 70s,” Sam was saying, as Bucky tuned back into the conversation.

“Why?” Rhodey looked perplexed.

Sam shrugged, "Just spitballing.”

Clint was opening his mouth to retort when a rather excited looking Bruce joined them. Bucky was unsure if that look was a good thing or a bad thing.

“Time travel?” Clint asked him hopefully.

Bruce shook his head, “Better!”

Bucky felt a knot of dread in his stomach, “Better than time travel?”

Bruce looked positively giddy, “Meta universe!” he announced looking at them expectantly.

Bucky glanced around, pleased when the others appeared to be just as confused as he did. That was a little comforting at least.

Bruce deflated, “Tony would appreciate it,” he mumbled.

Bucky crossed his arms preparing for yet another explanation that was no doubt going to go over his head, “Enlighten us Bruce and please use little words.”

-#-#-#-

“Meta universe! Can you believe it?” Anthony looked excited and Steve had little to no idea what was going on. Not a usual state for him to be in, but he’d learned to sort of roll with it. Between being Anthony Stark’s boyfriend, an Avenger, and having a brain like Swiss cheese he was often in a state of perpetual confusion. It didn’t really phase him anymore.

Fury had ushered them into one of the SUV’s and was currently taking them to SHIELD. Steve recognized the name, Hydra had infiltrated this organization, and he’d destroyed them. He felt a margin of smugness about that, Anthony had explained what had happened while he was still a murder puppet; he didn’t feel all that bad about it.

“What are you talking about Stark?” Fury glanced at Anthony in the rearview mirror as he navigated them through the city.

Anthony hadn’t stopped talking, he was throwing out ideas and concepts at an accelerated rate a sure sign he was fired up. He had lost Steve long ago and if Fury’s furrowed brow was anything to go on, the Director of SHIELD was also at a loss.

Steve reached out with his real hand gently taking Anthony’s in his own, squeezing. The genius stalled out and looking down at their tangled fingers, cheeks flushing a little.

“Small words, freezer burn remember?” Steve rasped, the words little more than a hoarse whisper.

Anthony gave him a soft smile, squeezing back, “Right, right, sorry.” Steve watched him collect his thoughts before he spoke again.

“Ok simple ideas; so, the multiverse theory is basically the idea that there are many multiple universes out there that run parallel. A lot of the time they call them an alternate reality or alternate timeline. These universes can differ, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.” Anthony looked pleased with his explanation, Steve nodded slowly thinking maybe he was starting to get an idea.

“You are the example here Steve, in this universe, you are Captain America.” Anthony was grinning at him, and Steve just knew he was barely reigning himself in. Steve hummed, turning it over in his head.

"So, we have not only gone back in time but also into an alternate version of our world?” He asked slowly, Anthony grinned at him.

“Gold star for you,” Anthony looked proud and Steve felt his lips turn up a little.

Fury had been quiet but Steve knew he didn’t miss anything. Hydra had sent him to kill the man for a reason, he assumed it would be a similar situation in this one at least.

They didn’t say much as they pulled into SHIELD HQ, Fury leading them inside. Steve warily glanced around, his skin felt tight and his neck itched. He stayed close to Anthony, he hadn’t been lying when he said he trusted Anthony with his life, but he didn’t trust a single one of these assholes.

There seemed to be a lot going on inside, people were running around and if Steve missed his guess there was an air of panic about everything. A few stared at Anthony, many more stared at him. It made Steve uncomfortable he clenched his metal arm, the plates sliding together, his fingers sticking slightly. His arm needed a little work but it could wait.

_“Something’s not right,”_ Steve rasped out in Russian.

_“I wonder what’s going on,”_ Anthony replied in kind, looking thoughtful.

Fury cut in then looking a little harried, “Stark, Rogers, you dropped out of nowhere at a rather inconvenient time. There’s been a security breach at one of our installations-”

Anthony gasped eyes going wide, “The Tesseract…Loki!”

Steve blinked, he recognized the words. Fury looked at Anthony sharply, eyes narrowed, hand unconsciously moving to his hip. Steve’s metal hand touched one of his concealed knives. Fury would be dead before he could draw if he was planning to even try and hurt Anthony.

“How do you know about that Stark?”

Anthony sighed looking suddenly tired, “Long story,” he mumbled. Steve stepped closer towering over his lover and using what Anthony often called his murder face. Fury looked hesitant, eye flickering between them a tension filling the space; no one moved.

“Director?”

The spell was broken, Fury glanced at the women who’d come up behind him looking like she had pressing concerns.

The Director grunted, glancing to the women, “Hill find these men rooms.” Fury looked back at them, "Rest, eat, and then we are talking," he said with finality before sweeping away amidst the chaos.

Steve watched him his stomach growling at the mention of food. Anthony leaned into him with a quiet chuckle, “Are you never not hungry?”

Steve felt the corner of his lips turn up, he was always hungry.

Hill was waving at them to follow absorbed in her tablet. Anthony linked his arm with Steve’s as they trailed after.

-#-#-#-

"I'm still not getting it," Clint deadpanned, and Bucky secretly agreed, he'd thought time travel had been a lot to swallow but this took the cake.

Bruce sighed, mumbling quietly before finally coming to a sort of consensus with himself, “The why doesn’t really matter, what matters is how are we going to get them back.”

Bucky nodded relieved that he can deal with, “Yes how are we going to do that?” 

“Well, I’ve called Strange and Pym to come help, I think, in theory opening a doorway will be relatively easy.”

Bucky breathed, a little of the worry in his chest loosening.

“Great, so let’s get them home,” Sam grinned clapping his hands.

Bruce frowned at him, “The easy part is opening the door, the hard part is figuring out where to open the door…it’s like trying to find a specific needle in a stack of needles.”

They all groaned.

Bucky sighed, “Steve and Tony never do things by half’s, do they?”

-#-#-#-

“Steve look at this,” Anthony turned the tablet towards him dark eyes alight in interest. Steve glanced at it chewing his food slowly. It was a picture of him, or at least the Steve Rogers of this universe, wearing the all too familiar Captain America star and holding the iconic shield.

“He kind of looks like you did in 1945,” Anthony mused squinting at the screen.

Steve grunted turning back to his tray of food, his second since they’d settled in the cafeteria. The place was long deserted, save for him and Anthony, the SHIELD people running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Hill had given them rooms in the compound, Steve refusing to stay in a separate room from Anthony, had glared at Hill until she’d left them. Anthony had given him a look of fond exasperation before trying to convince him to leave his guns in the room. Steve had eventually shed he Kevlar and magnanimously left his rifle in the room before they’d headed out to locate food.

“Don’t know how you eat it,” Anthony wrinkled his nose tapping away on the commandeered tablet dark eyes moving a mile a minute.

Steve shrugged finishing up, “Had worse,” he mumbled stacking his trays as he grabbed Anthony’s coffee cup for a refill.

Returning the trays, he grabbed his own coffee as well as one for Anthony, frowning when the fingers in his metal arm spasmed closed. Working them loose he carried the cups back to his boyfriend before settling beside him once more, their knees touching under the table. 

The cafeteria was dim and quiet, his enhanced hearing picking up the soft breaths of Anthony beside him, the quiet tap of his fingers on the screen and the almost inaudible hum in his chest. They were soothing sounds, familiar sounds. Steve was aware they were in a bit of a situation, they needed to get back home, but he wasn’t overly anxious about it. Anthony would figure it out, he knew that without a doubt. For Steve though, all that mattered was they were together, they'd be able to deal with whatever else followed.

Anthony sighed then setting down the tablet and scooted closer to him on the bench, resting his head-on Steve’s shoulder. Steve felt his lips curl as he wrapped his right arm around Anthony’s strong shoulders holding him close. Neither said anything as they sat in silence awhile, content to just be for the moment.

“Where were you in 2012?” Anthony asked softly in the quiet, pressing his face into Steve’s neck as he did. Steve actually knew the answer to that one.

“On ice,” he answered laying a cheek on dark hair, he felt Anthony wrap his arms around his waist. “They didn’t pull me out until about a year later,” he remembered it too. Hydra had purposely set him on a collision course with Captain America.

Anthony made a soft noise against him, Steve brought his real hand up carding it through soft hair. He could almost hear Anthony thinking, he was working through this, brilliant mind already exploring every avenue working out what came next. Steve was pretty sure that even pre-Hydra he hadn’t been half as clever as his lover.

“Did you hear about the Battle of New York?” Anthony asked voice muffled against his neck. Steve hummed in affirmation, he knew a little, it had been one of Buck’s stories. Buck had also confessed how terrified he’d been at the time, they’d just thawed him out and thrown into the 21st century. He’d said at the time he’d been overwhelmed, confused, and more than a little heart broken.

“So then, the question is my love, what do we tell them?” Anthony was musing aloud, Steve just hummed again, ruined vocal cords vibrating as they sat together. Anthony said nothing for a long while, and Steve wondered if he’d fallen asleep. Steve was drifting as well, not quite sleeping but sort of in a hazy in-between, when the large double door opened and two men were striding towards them.

Anthony moved reluctantly against him, pulling away marginally, Steve dropped his arm to the smaller man’s waist, reluctant to release him. They watched as the men approached Fury settling before him while the other remained standing behind him.

“Fury, Coulson,” Anthony greeted, Steve said nothing watching them impassively.

“Stark,” Fury inclined his head leaning forward on the table folding his hands.

Anthony waited, an eyebrow quirking, the man behind Fury spoke, “You claim to be from an alternate reality?”

Anthony sighed, “Well it would appear that way.”

“How can you be sure?”

Steve looked at Coulson the man masked his emotions well, but he could see the reticence in his expression. 

“Well this is the biggest tip-off," Anthony picked up the tablet sliding it across the table still displaying the picture of Captain America. Both men looked from it to him, then back to Anthony.

“In our world, Captain Barnes is Captain America, and Sargent Rogers is the Winter Soldier.”

Both men stiffed, they knew the name.

“You know the name,” Anthony echoed his thoughts and Steve gave the waist a playful squeeze.

“He’s a ghost, an assassin, hard to pin down and impossible to follow, we’ve been tracking him for years,” Fury rumbled.

Steve felt his lips twitching upwards.

Anthony looked thoughtful, “So if in this world, Steve’s Captain America would that make….” He turned to Fury then, “Bucky Barnes, what happened to him in this world?”

Fury looked at them intently, “He fell from a train in Austria in 1945.”

Steve looked down at Anthony, “ _What happened to me,”_ he rasped in Russian.

“ _Sounds like,”_ Anthony agreed before switching back to English, “Well there’s your Winter Solider but that whole thing won’t be for a while yet.”

Fury and Coulson shared a look, “How do you know?” Fury finally asked.

Anthony waved a hand airily before leaning forward and speaking quickly, “Doesn’t matter, but right now, let me guess, Loki has stolen your Tesseract and turned Clint into his personal puppet. Now you have Tasha headed to round up Bruce, Fury has already talked to Cap, and if I miss my guess Coulson is about to head to Stark Tower and corner the Tony Stark from this world; right?”

There was utter silence, both men looked gobsmacked; Steve wanted to laugh.

“How…” Fury found his voice first.

“Because I’ve been through this before, and if your timeline holds to mine, things will get a lot worse before they get better.”

Anthony looked up at him then, eyes determined and an unvoiced question in their depths. Steve knew though, and he didn’t hesitate. He was with Anthony; until the end.

“We’ll help when we can Fury, but we need to get back to our timeline. We have people counting on us.”

There was a long moment of silence as Fury seemed to weigh his options, “You have access to what you need Stark,” he moved to stand then pausing to look at them once more.

“This is going to change everything, isn’t it?”

Anthony offered him a half-grin, "It will." 

Nodding Fury and Coulson left and Anthony collapsed into his side with a groan, “I’m not sure I did the right thing.”

Steve tipped his head back kissing him sweetly, pleased when Anthony melted into him with a groan. They parted sometime later, Anthony looking thoroughly kissed.

“Bed?” he rasped.

“Bed,” Anthony grinned.

-#-#-#-

The pounding on the door woke them in the early AM, Tony lifting his head from Steve’s wide chest as the struggled to get his sleep fuzzed mind back online.

“Sirs? We’re moving operations, Director Fury needs you ready in 20.”

The voice was muffled through the door, sounding uncertain.

Tony cleared his throat, “Ok we’ll be right there,” he called.

“I’ll inform the Director.”

The voice left then and Tony looked down at the clear blue eyes below him, “Well we ready for this?”

Tony’s mind was already moving, he knew where they were headed and he wanted to get to the workshop. He had an idea, it was rather simple, but sometimes that what you needed in a situation like this….

His thoughts trailed off as a warm mouth began working down his neck, nipping at his collar bone as big hands, one real, one metal moved lower cupping his backside. Tony looked down at the man beneath him, groaning as Steve pulled him flush.

“We’re supposed to be getting ready,” Tony breathed unable to help the moan that fell from his lips as Steve squeezed him gently. 

“We will,” Steve’s voice was all husk and sex, and those strong hands were lifting him easily as Steve wiggled under him. Tony went willingly catching on what his love was up too as Steve positioned himself directly beneath him. Grinning he flipped straddling Steve shoulders as he faced Steve’s impressive morning wood.

They were fumbling then pushing underwear down, as Steve pulled him close swallowing down his length. Tony groaned unable to help but stutter his hips before turning his attention back to Steve. Determined he pulled out all the stops working his boyfriend hard, it was messy and hot as he licked and sucked every inch he could.

Steve hollowed his cheeks, and Tony felt cool metal gently touching him moving to circle the most intimate part of him. He groaned around his mouth full, Steve so rarely touched him with his metal arm and it was hitting him in all the right places. Steve hummed around him swallowing more and Tony was done.

Pulling off Steve for a moment he moaned loudly as his orgasm ripped through him, “Jesus Steve, yes!’ he whined as Steve licked him clean before pulling off and pressing a kiss to his inner thigh.

Floating pleasantly on his high, he got back to work, feeling thick thighs tremble under his hands as he gently grazed his teeth on his shaft. Tony felt the big chest rumbled and strong hands tightened in his hips as Steve came and Tony swallowed it all down.

Rolling to his side Tony caught his breath, chuckling as he felt a metal hand caress his thigh. “Well, we’re probably going to be late,” he mused aloud.

Steve didn’t seem too concerned.

Tony’s prediction came true as a badly blushing SHIELD Agent lead them to Fury 40 minutes later, Fury did not look pleased, Steve was all but smirking, and Tony tried to hide his own grin.

They didn’t say a word as they joined Fury on the plane heading for the Helicarrier. Tony was a little nervous if he was honest with himself. He wasn’t sure at all about any of what was happening.

Steve took his hand squeezing it softly as they flew and Tony took comfort in his presence. At least he had Steve here with him, he knew it was sappy and sentimental, but he couldn’t imagine trying to face this alone. Time travel was one thing, but seeing himself in an alternate reality, it was going to be rough.

They landed soon after and Fury ushering them into the ship and directly to the lab set up they had. Tony nodded his thanks as he glanced around mind already moving, for what he needed.

“Stark?” Fury called, they glanced at him curiously. 

“I have informed the others you are here, but I didn’t give details.”

Tony nodded exhaling as Fury left them.

Turning back to the lab he set to work, shrugging out of the borrowed SHIELD hoodie he wore he pushed the sleeves up of his under layer. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Steve shrugging out of his Kevlar armour, the skin-tight black undershirt accenting thick muscles as they bunched and rolled. Tony managed to drag he gaze back up catching amused blue eyes, Tony huffed a little embarrassed.

“You’re allowed to look,” Steve rumbled.

Tony felt his cheeks heat despite his grin, “I know, but I need to focus.”

Steve settled on a stool nearby leaning on his metal hand, Tony felt a sense of familiarity settle on him and he began to relax marginally, tension slowly easing from his shoulders. He leaned into it, finding himself explaining his thoughts to Steve as he worked, working out his plan to his silent, ever attentive audience.

“If this timeline is like ours, except for the whole you as Cap thing, then soon Bruce Banner is going to walk through those doors and start working on an algorithm to find the Tesseract. Instead, I'll tell him where it's going to be, and he’s going to help me with this.”

Tony flicked his fingers on the borrowed tablet sending a schematic into the hologram spinning the design pleased.

"What is it?" Steve rasped curiously, Tony heard him rooting in his pockets, followed by the crinkle of a protein bar.

“It’s a tracking device, it’s going to send out a ping to the…” he waved his hand above his head, “Universe I guess, and hopefully our Bruce will pick it up, be able to zero in on it and open a door for us.”

Steve hummed thoughtful, “In the meantime?”

Tony moved around the lab pulling out tools as he got to work, before tossing his lover a wink, “Enjoy the show.”

-#-#-#-

Bucky watched the men argue sleepily, he had no clue what they were talking about, hell he wasn’t sure they were even speaking English.

“Ok Cap?” Sam settled beside him on the cold floor of the basement, close enough their thighs touched.

Bucky hummed, “I guess…” he mumbled.

Bucky felt a warm arm wrap around his shoulders and Buck went willingly leaning into Sam with a small sigh. The contact felt good, even since the ice, the cold and dark he’d missed people. Missed the connection with others, he’ d been alone so long…and Steve….he closed his eyes pained.

“Don’t worry we’ll find them,” Sam squeezed him closer, tucking Bucky’s head under his chin as he held him. Buck felt a sad smile pull his lips, he wasn’t worried about Steve. Steve was with Tony and he knew they’d look after each other, his pain was a little more selfish than that.

He was jealous if he was honest. Stevie was his best friend, and he was happy for him finding love with Tony. But the Steve he’d known before had needed him, a small scrappy kid that followed him around for everything. This Steve, this new Steve didn’t need anyone. Hell, Buck was more than a little hesitant to fight him on a good day.

Buck was lost, he wanted someone to need him again. It felt so often like the world had moved on without Captain America, he was a relic from a bygone era. He didn’t want to think anymore, closing his eyes he enjoyed the close press of Sam.

Sam was warm, and sometimes the cold….his thoughts trailed off as he slipped off into a dreamless sleep.

-#-#-#-

Steve felt the low hum under his feet, he looked down curious, a steady thrum had begun in the ship.

“It flies,” Anthony explained absently busy on the far side of the lab. Steve snorted that explained it. He turned back to the drawing he was working on; it wasn’t going well. His fingers were still sticking and he didn’t want to bother Anthony at the moment. It wasn’t anything he couldn’t deal with.

The door to the lab opened then and Steve looked up curiously, recognizing a familiar mop of curls.

Anthony turned as well, a grin lighting his face, “Bruce! Just the man I wanted to see.”

The man hesitated, looking from Anthony over to him, starting visibly when he saw Steve, eyes widening behind his glasses, he often had that effect on people.

“You are…you are from…” he trailed off trying to find the words.

“Yeah, we’re from an alternate reality,” Anthony waved his hand dismissively as he carried on, “So what do you know about the multiverse theory?”

Bruce seemed to recover himself then, brow furrowing in thought before the was focusing his attention on Anthony. Steve watched amused ad Anthony effortlessly drew him in, and the pair were soon arguing over things Steve couldn’t begin to try and follow.

Steve turned back to his picture, looking down at the drawing with a sigh, it looked like something a child drew. Grunting he turned the page in the notebook and switched the pencil to his right hand instead, holding it awkwardly as he wrote. He was still working on trying to get his handwriting with his right legible.

Eventually, his growling stomach reminded him they’d been here a while, and while Anthony maybe could ignore his body’s needs, but he knew better than to try and ignore it. Being overly hungry had on occasion triggered an episode. He wasn’t sure exactly why, but he always tried to make sure he didn’t let it get too bad if he could help it.

He glanced to where Anthony and Bruce were animatedly discussing the nuances of quantum physics. Bruce had been easy carried away by Anthony, he’d made a token protest about having to find the ‘cube’ but once Anthony told him where it was and passed it onto Fury they’d deviled fully into Anthony’s project.

Navigating the lab on silent feet he paused by Anthony kissing his cheek, “Food,” he rasped. As if that explained everything.

“Of course,” Anthony grinned at him patting his cheek, Steve nodded to Banner before he was heading in search of something to eat. He smirked hearing Bruce’s curious question follow him out.

“Are you two together?”

He wandered a bit, unusual looks following him as scurrying agents gave him a wide berth. He felt his lips curl a little, he shouldn’t be as pleased as he was about that, but he really didn’t like people.

Eventually, he managed to find food, although it was just stacks of MRE’s. Grumbling he rooted through the packages, it’s been a while since he’d had these, but at least they weren't Soviet-era ones. Picking out several he pocketed a few more, never hurt to have some on hand.

_“_ Winter Solider to control room, Winter Solider to control room _.”_

The announcement had him rolling his eyes upwards, Anthony had warned him they’d soon be gathering. Collecting his food, he grabbed a coffee and headed towards the control area, already having a clear map in his head of the layout of the place. In no real rush, he navigated the halls, pausing when he came upon several heavily armed SHIELD agents pulling along a chained Loki.

Steve watched him past eyebrow raised, they’d fought the man serval times and Steve had always found him rather ridiculous and not very threatening. He mostly seemed more interested in getting attention from Thor then anything. They seemed to take Loki serious here though.

Shaking his head, he carried on stepping onto the bridge; all eyes turning to him. Steve paused glancing around the room, Bruce was there, Natasha he recognized, Thor, and his Anthony smiling at him. He focused on his boyfriend, tension in his shoulders as he made his way across the room. He didn’t like everyone one looking at him.

He’d only taken a few steps when a chair turned, and suddenly he was looking at…himself.

Or at least this worlds version of himself. He was clean-shaven, short blonde hair swept back from his face, clear blues eyes looking at him steadily. He was wearing Cap’s uniform, well his uniform he guessed, and Steve felt a weird sort of dissidence. It was surreal to look at an alternate version of himself, one that never felt the oppression of Hydra, the forced submission and brainwashing as they tore out everything that made him human.

He forgot where he was, who he was as the blackness crept into his mind the cold and quiet. It hurt to remember. He felt his jaw clench and his metal arm locked, the cup of coffee he held in it shattering as scalding coffee spilled across his metal fingers. He was shutting down, and he struggled against it, he didn’t want…

“ _Steve, love, focus on my voice,”_ he recognized the voice, he knew that voice, he loved that voice.

“ _You’re ok, I’m ok, we’re ok,”_ he continued, and Steve felt his jaw slowly unclench…Anthony,

Anthony was talking to him. His bright, brilliant Anthony, burning away the cold and dark re-centering him. The Russian helped, it was easier than remembering English, his ‘default setting’ as Anthony had teased him one time.

“ _It’s 2012, we are…well, we are in an alternate timeline,"_ Anthony was smiling softly at him taking his metal arm, “ _I’m going to have to clean coffee out of that now.”_

He was teasing him and Steve could feel himself slowly unlocking, reorienting, “ _I brought it for you, I’m sorry sweetheart.”_ He managed to get out with his wreaked voice, his Russian harsh and grating to the ear.

He heard a surprised gasped and he darted a look to the noise, spotting Natasha and remember they had an audience. Steve would have been embarrassed, probably should be, but he honestly couldn't remember that emotion anymore. 

Anthony cleared his throat speaking in English, “Right come on I’ll look at the arm.”

Steve followed as they settled at the large table, across from his counterpart in this world; feeling marginal more in control.

“What goes here?” Thor boomed, looking between Steve and the Cap Steve, first to break the awkward silence.

“There from an alternate timeline,” Bruce explained.

“Why does he have a metal arm?” Cap Steve looked perplexed and Steve was a little jealous of his smooth voice. It didn’t sound grating and painful.

Natasha didn’t say a word but her expression was shuttered, thoughtful.

Before either of them could answer Fury strode in, “Right I see you’ve met Stark and Rogers, they’re apparently from an alternate universe.”

Steve remembering, he was still hungry, tore into his MRE, it was better than nothing. He ignored the curious gazes from the others.

“Apparently? Really Fury?” Anthony squinted at him, “And what if I told you that Loki plans to tear a hole in space with that cube and bring down an ugly ass alien race the wipe out the Earth would you believe me? What about that Selvig needs iridium? Or that the Stark in this world is about to swagger in the door and loudly remind everyone he’s the smartest one in the room?”

Steve snorted swallowing a mouthful of mac and cheese, “You usually are,” he grated.

Anthony grinned at him, “I know, right?”

“Iridium? What does he need iridium for?” Bruce asked curiously.

As if on cue the ‘Tony’ of this world swaggered in, “It’s a stabilizing agent, “he paused eyes widening as he spotted Anthony seated to Steve’s left.

“Holy shit he wasn’t kidding,” he breathed.

It all descended into chaos after that and Steve focused on his dinner, he found it was always better to deal with the absurd on a full stomach.

-#-#-#-

“Here Buck,” Sam set a cup a coffee before him, and he offered the man a small if a little embarrassed smile.

"Thanks, Sam," he mumbled taking a swig of the dark liquid. He had awoken on the man’s chest not all that long ago, realizing not only their intimate position; but it was the best sleep he could remember having in a very long time.

He glanced up at Sam, “Thanks for, for last night,” murmured.

Sam looked at him with a warm open smile, "Anytime," he offered and Bucky felt a warmth in his chest, one he hadn’t in a long, long, time.

-#-#-#-

“Here let me see,” Tony wheeled closer to his boyfriend, setting down the borrowed tools nearby. He pulled Steve’s arm onto the table, “So that was fun,” he mused and Steve snorted in agreement.

Tony had almost forgotten just how hard their edges bad been at the beginning.

“Every story needs a start,” Steve rasped.

Tony looked at a smile curling his lips, "For a man with a freezer-burned brain you are very wise."

Steve grinned at that, and Tony wanted to kiss, that snarl smile that of his.

“You think they’re talking about us?” he asked the other as he opened his arm to take a look.

“Course, they are,” Steve grumbled looking unconcerned as to what the others of this world were doing.

Tony snorted as he set about cleaning the fingers frowning, “They aren’t responding, are they?” he gave his lover a look, and Steve returned it deadpan. Sighing he motioned for him to remove his top, he needed to backtrack to the joint. Sighing Steve pulled it off ruffling shaggy blonde hair. Tony smiled at him, good lord he loved the man. Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to the seam between the arm and him before he bent back to it.

They had left the others to argue, Tony wanted to get Steve somewhere quiet. It'd been a close thing Anthony had seen him shutting down, that vacant look coming over his eyes.

“Thank you,” Steve said as soft as he could.

Tony nodded focusing on checking the leads in his arm, “Always,” he promised, knowing Steve understood what it meant. As long as Steve wanted him, he would be there. He felt Steve’s real hand reach out cupping his face and he closed his eyes leaning into the contact briefly before smiling up into blue eyes.

“Still lots to do today let’s get you fixed up.”

Tony knew what was coming next, everything had been, sadly, playing out exactly how it had in their world. It was harder to watch then it had been to live it. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he could hear his counterpart in the world outside in the hall and he winced.

“ _Ok?”_ Steve asked falling back into Russian.

“ _Just hard to hear myself, I thought I knew everything,”_ he confessed.

His Steve said nothing leaned closer nudging his forehead with his own. Tony found a smile before the doors where opening and Tony and Bruce strolled in chatting. Tony ignored them focusing on where he thought he found the frayed connection.

Suddenly Steve growled metal arm moving to shield him, Tony frowned looking first to his boyfriend then to the other Tony and Bruce in the room. The men had stopped their conversation to come closer and Tony could see them focused on Steve and his arm.

“Who are you?” Tony whispered looking fascinated, and horrified. He was sure he’d worn the same expression the first time he’d seen Steve.

“Soldat,” Steve grunted voice grating and emotionless, eyes flat as he started at the other too and they back away marginally more than a little uncomfortable in his presence.

“Sargent Rogers is the product of 70 some years of unethical experimentation, brainwashing, and torture, by both Hydra and the US military. Since regaining his freedom, he has graciously joined our team and is one of ours; the Winter Soldier."

Tony said the words steadily even as his heart want to rip apart. It was all true, Steve didn’t owe anyone anything. He could walk away and do nothing, yet here he was with him right now in the middle of this mess. He snuck a glance at the pair, they looked stunned and so they should. Best get used to it now, especially if his suspicions were correct, and this worlds Bucky would surface in much the same way his Steve had.

“Don’t you have a cube to track?” Tony broke the uncomfortable tension trying to get their focus away from him and Steve.

The other Tony seemed to gather himself, “Don’t want to maybe give us a hint?”

Tony had thought about it, he really had, it was all coming back to him in horrifying clarity. The more he thought of it though, the more he realized that perhaps things were meant to happen this way. This moment had been so formative for them….for him.

He winked at the other going back to Steve’s arm, “Spoilers.” 

He heard the pair chuckle before they moved off to the other side of the lab getting to work.

_“Anthony, what you said,”_ Steve started, voice a little harsher than usual.

Tony blinked back his own tears, “ _No mush, I meant every word of it, but we have shit to Sarge and we will see it through.”_

Steve bumped his head with his own again, and Tony was beginning to wonder if he was part cat.

Across the room the other Tony prodded Bruce, Tony wanted to chuckle, oh to be that naïve again….

Cap Steve strode in then all confidence and posturing, “Are you insane?”

“Jury’s out,” his counterpart said.

“ _I’m an insufferable ass as Captain America,”_ his Steve muttered, “ _Was Bucky that much of an ass?”_

Tony laughed thinking back at how much they’d grated each other, “ _Oh yeah.”_

“What are you two whispering about over there? I’m still not really clear what you’re doing here?” Tony called to them seemingly having found his confidence again.

Tony heard Steve growl and he didn’t need to look at him that he was no doubt giving the men his most intimidating glare.

“Oh, just commenting on the clear sexual tension between you and Cap,” Tony said offhandedly. He heard Bruce give a surprised chuckle, while the other Tony and Steve stared at him in stunned silence. 

His Steve laughed outright that horse wheezy rasp that Tony loved so much.

“As for what we are doing here, no goddam clue sucked into your timeline by accident is my best guess.” He lifted Steve’s arm setting it on his own shoulder as he snaked back under to get at the faulty connection.

There was a beat of silence in the room before apparently the others, not knowing exactly what to do with them ignored their presence.

Tony idly listened to a semi-familiar conversation, remembering the fear he felt at the time, not knowing, the idea that it was all beyond his control. It had been overwhelming, his whole world was changing and now knowing what he did…he felt heartsick for this Tony. He knew what lay ahead, the dark places he would go.

Steve bumped his again concerned, blonde hair hung in intense blue eyes, he was scruffy, a little unkempt, and dangerous as hell; but it was his Steve.

“And you’re all about style, aren’t you?”

Across the room, Cap and Iron Man were inches apart, but Tony was pretty sure he’d been spot on there was chemistry there, something undeniable. Maybe he and Steve were destined to be together no matter the timeline, and wasn’t that a beautiful thought?

Steve was glowering at his doppelganger, Tony raised a questioning eyebrow.

“ _Cap’s going to storm off in a moment, then I’m going to rather naively I might add, compare Iron Man and Hulk.”_

Steve looked at him curiously, " _How’s that go?”_

“ _Poorly, but we’re getting to game time here. That Tony is hacking SHIELD and Cap’s going to find weapons, Fury is going to try and justify it, then Barton is going to show up and try and blow us out of the sky."_

Across the room Cap stormed out, and Steve looked at him curiously, “Are we going to stop him?” He asked switching back to English.

“Haven’t decided yet, but let’s get your arm fixed up just in case.”

-#-#-#-

“Well we have figured out how to open the door between timelines,” Bruce announced looking incredibly pleased.

“But?” Bucky asked raising an eyebrow.

“But we aren’t sure were to open it.”

They all groaned, Bucky really wanted to bang his head against something hard, “So what can we do?”

Bruce looked sheepish, “Well we could just start opening random doors and hoping for the best or….”

“Or?” Buck felt a warm hand on his back as Sam stepped to his side, he tried to keep the blush from his cheeks as he welcomed the support.

“Or, we wait for a signal.”

“From who?” Sam asked looking as confused as Buck felt.

“From Tony and Steve, if I know Tony he’s probably working on it as we speak.”

Bruce seemed confident, but Bucky couldn’t help but worry. He missed them….both of them…he’d thought perhaps he and Steve had been starting to find some common ground, beginning to rebuild.

He could help but lean into Sam, “So we wait?”

Bruce nodded, “We wait.”

-#-#-#-

“There you are love,” Steve looked down as Anthony closed up his arm. He sat back motioning for Steve to give it a go. Obliging he raised is opening and closing his fist feeling the fingers responding with no delay. 

“How’d you end up with that?”

Steve glanced over, at the other Tony and Bruce, they were looking at him again wary yet curious. Steve thought this other Tony looked a little like his Anthony, but he was also different, his Anthony was…harder for lack of a better word. This one was soft, the deep sadness that he sometimes saw in his Anthony wasn’t there yet.

“Hydra…attached it after I lost mine falling from the train," he grunted as if that answered.

“How did Bucky get to be Captain America? In your world,” Bruce asked looking curious.

Steve didn’t really know how to answer that, there was really no reason they’d picked Bucky over him. He turned to his Anthony looking for direction.

“Erskine used the serum twice; once on Bucky and once on Steve. A random chance they choose Buck over Steve,” Anthony explained putting away his tools, as Steve nodded agreeing.

The Tony across the room exhaled, “I have so many questions.”

“Save it here they come,” his Anthony pointed to the lab door, before turning to him.

“ _Suit up love, do it quietly and get ready, shit is going to hit the fan here. When it does… you better help Thor with Hulk.”_

Steve lit up, “ _Oh yeah?”_

_“Don’t hurt him, just help get him off the Helicarrier Bruce will do the rest."_

Nodding Steve turned to grab up his Kevlar just as Fury stormed in accusing the other Tony of hacking the systems. An irate looking Captain America came next weapon in hand. Steve watched impressed as they all crammed into the lab. Anthony gently pulled at his sleeve as they both settled back out of the way. Steve did what he did best, he blended into the shadows as he watched the argument swell around him.

It wasn’t an auspicious start to the Avengers, he had a hard time believing the people he knew now started this way. They seemed to fall together so easily.

He looked at his Anthony, face stoic as he watched his other self argue with Captain America. Steve did not like the angry things the man with his face where saying it wasn’t to his Anthony, but still….

He felt an uncomfortable ripple run through him, clenching and unclenching his hands, he watched as they were suddenly trying to calm down Bruce. Tension filled they stood until a beep across the room turned all their attention.

Steve had no idea what the noise meant but beside him, Anthony tapped his casing his suit crawling out and settling around him. Steve snapped his mask on, just as the world exploded around him.

Time slowed, it always did when he was in combat. His adrenaline roared in his ears, and his skin felt too tight. He saw the explosion, watched as it blew a hole in the floor, dumping Natasha and Bruce below. He followed them through the floor, spotting the women pinned by heavy debris. He turned to help her, using his strength to pull it up and off before turning his attention to Banner.

Natasha was trying to reach him, talk their way out of this as Banner howled and grunted, growing larger by the moment. Steve recognized how far gone he was. There was no coming back at this point, Hulk was going to make an appearance.

“Steve, you ok love?”

He heard Anthony in his ear, “Yup,” he mumbled as he turned back to face the Hulk, crouching in anticipation.

“I’m going to help them get this flying again, remember just get Bruce off the ship.”

“Affirmative,” he acknowledges a snarl pulling his lips as the Hulk charged him, he pulled back his metal arm and let loose sending Hulk crashing backwards through a wall.

Steve knew he shouldn’t be having so much fun, but he hadn’t been challenged like this in a long while. Hulk wasn’t holding back and neither was he, and it was the first time since he’d got free of Hydra and his programming; he let loose. Thor joined him and as they worked the raging monster back. Steve was a little disappointed when it was Hulk himself that jumped off after a jet and disappearing through the clouds.

Breathing lightly, he stared out into the blue sky, watching as they plummeted out of the air. Steve stumbled as the Helicarrier under him suddenly stopped it’s decent as it seemed to just stall out.

“All good love?” he rasped through the coms.

“Nailed it, see you on the bridge,” Anthony sounded breathless, but he could hear the smile in his voice.

Steve moved back inside ignoring the awed looks that followed him as he made his way to the bridge. Pulling his mask down, he was halfway there when an announcement over the PA stalled his progress;

“Agent Coulson is down.”

-#-#-#-

“Buck, you awake?” he looked up at the quiet knock at his door, Sam’s head appearing around the frame.

“Yeah Sam,” he replied looking back down at his feet. He’d tried to sleep, really, he had but it just hadn’t come.

They had moved back to compound today Bruce confident enough to confiscate the machine from its original lab and bring it here to Tony’s workshop to be monitored. They were approaching the second-week mark and Bucky was at a loss. He'd never felt more helpless, not even when they'd disappeared into the past. Sam had been so supportive the last couple of weeks, so kind, and compassionate.

Sam sat beside him on the bed in companionable silence Bucky suddenly wanting to fill the silence, he found the words spilling from his lips before he could call them back. “I don’t sleep well, the dark and quiet, they remind me too much of being in the ice. I need light and noise…” he trailed off embarrassed, not daring to look at the man beside him.

He had always been the brave one when they were kids, always looking out for Stevie…only he didn’t think anything scared the man now.

“It’s ok you know,” Sam said softly, Bucky felt a strong hand taking his, “To not be ok.”

Bucky squeezed his eyes closed, he could feel the tears threatening, he collapsed into Sam resting his head on a strong shoulder as the other man brought a hand up to cradle his head. Bucky gasped for breath as he tried to calm down, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

He hadn’t grieved, hadn’t let himself. Ashamed he felt all the repressed emotion hit him like a tidal wave. He cried for his lost time, his friends, for Steve…. He cried himself out soaking the front of Sam’s t-shirt.

Thoroughly embarrassed he took a shuddering breath as he hastily pulled back scrubbing at his face, “I’m sorry,” he whispered voice husky and raw.

Sam reached for him cupping his cheeks as he wiped away lingering wetness, “Don’t be.”

Bucky looked at him then, and time seemed to stop, Sam held his eyes as he leaned forward, pressing their lips together. 

-#-#-#-

“You scare me.”

Steve paused spoonful of pudding halfway to mouth, eyebrow-raising at the comment. The Steve Rogers of this time stood before him in full Captain America colours, looking tired and drained.

Steve had been on his way to Anthony when he’d detoured to grab a snack, but apparently, Cap had been waiting for him.

“Why?” he rasped, curious.

The man gave a mirthless chuckle, “You just took on the Hulk.”

Steve grinned a bit at that baring his teeth, that had been a lot of fun.

“Yeah,” he agreed moving to go around the man eager to check on Anthony.

“I wanted to ask…about what happened to you,” the man rushed out, looking somehow scared and determined at the same time.

“Why?” he thought he was beginning to sound like a broken record.

Cap looked uncomfortable, blue eyes glancing away from him, an embarrassed flush crossing his cheeks. 

He understood swallowing his pudding, “There but for the grace of God go I?” he rasped seeing the man flinch minutely.

He sighed ruined vocal cords grating unpleasantly, “Erskine used the serum twice once on me, once on my best friend Bucky. He got to be Captain America, I fell from a train in 1945, and into the hands of Hydra. I lost my arm, lost my mind, and lost 70 years.”

The other just blinked at him, “But how…why?” 

Steve sighed, that was a much longer story, and he lacked the articulation to get it all out, he really wished Anthony were here. He was so much better with words. He stuck another spoonful of chocolate pudding in his mouth. Frowning he stepped closer to the other man, forcing the smaller Steve to look up at him.

“You’re going to survive this, what happens here,” he rasped holding the steady blue gaze, "Then you're going to find your Winter Soldier, and you’re going to find out what he did…what he was forced to do.”

Steve looked away for a minute recalling again the pain that came with the knowledge of what he’d done, of what Bucky did to protect him…how he’d hurt Anthony.

“This won’t make sense now, but when you find out you must tell Anthony. You must tell him what the Winter Soldier did,” he held the man’s gaze until the other looked away first.

Satisfied Steve turned to leave making it a few steps before he paused, “Anthony is a wonderful man,” he rasped, glancing back at his wide-eyed look alike.

“We are good together.”

Smirking to himself he moved on needing to see his Anthony.

-#-#-#-

He turned the small device over in his hands; it was done. He wasn’t sure it would work, but it was done, and now he was just waiting for Steve to activate it. It would send out a beacon, one that he was hoping that Bruce would get.

“That technology, your suit,” the Tony of this timeline asked him, looking wild-eyed and more than a little on edge.

He sighed, “Nanites, can use it at will.”

He looked fascinated, “How?”

Laughing he shook his head, “Spoilers, you’ve got to figure that one out on your own.”

His counterpart looked irritated, but a smile curled his lips, “You can’t give me any help?” 

Tony thought for a moment, opening his mouth to reply when his Steve walked in. Finishing the last of what looked like pudding, he couldn’t help the fond smile that stretched his lips.

“Stop for a snack?”

Steve nodded sitting beside him, as Cap joined them in the conference room sitting across from them.

“I finished,” he held out the device to Steve, “Shall we see if it works?”

The big man nodded, and Tony took a breath hitting the button.

Nothing.

Steve looked around curiously, “Was something supposed to happen?”

Tony sighed, “Maybe? Only my second time dealing with alternate dimension travel.”

His disappointment was cut short as Fury strode in and Tony knew what would happen next. Sighing he reached for a paper and pencil on the table hurriedly scribbling as Fury spoke.

It was all too surreal, like a movie he couldn’t stop, forced to re-watch his life unfold before him. He wanted to warn this other Tony about all that was coming for him, about how all this was going to change everything.

Only he was worried warning him may alter the course of events, hell for all he knew he and Steve were changing them right now. Tony really wanted to tear at his hair, there were no rules.

He watched Tony storm off, and Steve follow after, Fury slinking out behind them as well.

Alone with Steve, he turned to him, crawling into the man's lap. His big lover pulling him close, as Tony tucked his head under his chin. He closed his eye relishing the closeness, relaxing into the other man.

“What now?” Steve rumbled.

Tony sighed, he was tired, he wanted to go home and not leave bed for at least a week.

“Now…we fight aliens.”

-#-#-#-

Bruce yawned as he shuffled into the workshop cup of tea in his hand. Idly, he flipped on the machines, waiting as it powered up. Sipping his tea, he ran hazel green eyes over the monitors, tapping the computer to life.

Moving around the contraption he checked to make sure it was all in working order before moving back to the keyboard. Going for another sip of his tea he paused, noticing a small blinking light. He stared at the red light, eyes widening.

He paused another heart before he turned running for the stairs; tea forgotten.

He had a signal.

-#-#-#-

Tony watched with horror as the hole opened in the sky. He knew what was coming next and he took a steadying breath. He knew the nightmares that would come after, the sleepless nights, the helplessness and fear he had of letting everyone down, of letting those he loved die. He shuddered trying to push away the thoughts.

He reached out a metal hand grasping the arm of Steve beside him moving close enough to rest his head against a metal shoulder, solid and reassuring.

He knew what awaited them but this time was different, this time he had Steve. He took a steadying breath closing his eyes as he tried to center his careening thoughts.

“Ready?” he breathed, trying to keep the tremble from his voice. He felt Steve shift subtly his real hand tangling in Tony’s hair as he held him tenderly.

“Always,” he rasped and Tony knew the word went beyond the moment, it stretched on…forever Tony hoped.

Ready he pulled away grinning shakily up into those intense blue eyes, and far too serious face, “Remember when I fell in love with you?”

“Remember when you made me human again?” A raspy voice returned.

-#-#-#-

"Come on Bruce," Bucky danced from foot to foot wishing the man would hurry.

“Calm down Buck, I got it,” he mumbled fingers flying on the keyboard.

The others waited with bated breath all staring expectantly at the machine. Bucky felt a strong hand on his shoulder unable to help the shy smile he sent Sam’s way. The man returned the smile and Bucky looked away cheeks heating.

They hadn’t really given voice to what was happening between them, their shared hesitant kiss had been irrupted by a frantic Bruce yelling about a signal. They’d all hurried to the workshop, in hopes that this was going to be it.

“Alright, ready?” Bruce called, Bucky grabbed Sam’s hand on impulse.

“Here we go,” Bruce mumbled flipping a lever and they watched as the machine lit up.

-#-#-#-

Tony stood dazedly beside his boyfriend helmet pulled back as he watched the others interact admits the wreckage of the street. The other Tony was rambling about shawarma and a sweetly grinning, albeit dirty Steve was helping him to stand.

Tony found himself exhaling shakily as the post-battle adrenaline began to bleed form him, he had known how the story was supposed to go but there had been some fear there as well. They were in an alternate reality, after all, maybe in this world, they weren’t supposed to win today. What if they hadn’t? What if this was supposed to be the end?

“I can hear you worrying from here,” Steve rumbled pulling down his own mask.

Tony sent him a halfhearted glare, “Curse of being a genius,” he mumbled.

Steve snorted reached out and hauled him close, "Glad I'm pretty and dumb."

Tony couldn’t help it he laughed at that, shaking his head.

“You guys are pretty handy in a fight,” Cap was addressing them and Tony turned to see the others watching them intently.

“We’re not so bad,” his Steve agreed.

Tony wrapped a metal arm around Steve’s waist, “We do make a good team don’t we dear?” he teased, wanting to laugh at Clint’s surprised look.

Captain America looked like he was going to say more when a sudden flash a few meters away from them drew their attention. Still riding the post-battle high everyone was on edge, ready for battle.

Tony watched as the flash pulsed and moved growing and shifting, turning opaque and shimmery before “Stevie!”

Through the now oddly shimmering and distorted portal, they saw a familiar Captain Barnes looking back at them. Behind him were all the others, and Tony felt his heart swell as he blinked back tears not realizing how homesick he’d been until this moment.

Swallowing thickly, he glanced back at the newly formed Avengers of this timeline, the other Tony looked amazed and intrigued.

“Rides here,” his Steve grated mildly before offering a little wave to the others through the weird rippling hole in the air, “Hi Buck.”

Tony nodded, “Yeah looks like it’s time to go, first though,” he turned tapping his suit away as he fished several crumpled papers out of his pocket hurrying over to the other Tony still supported by a dazed-looking Captain America.

"You asked for a hint, here," he handed over the papers before leaning in close so the others wouldn't hear. "You'll need this, help the Winter Soldier when he comes, and try to remember hate is a hard thing to let go, but ultimately worth it. “

He moved back and offering both men a smile, “Hard road ahead, sometimes it’s easier to have someone to walk it with.”

The pair looked at each other than, and Tony thought perhaps he saw a flicker of something there, something more than the animosity there'd been there before. The tired-looking Tony offered him a half-smile, "Don't suppose you want to elaborate on that, do you?”

Tony grinned giving them a wink, “Spoilers.” 

Mission completed he turned to head back to his Steve taking a metal hand when the other offered it.

“Let’s go home big guy,” Tony grinned at him, and with one last glance backwards they were stepping through the portal and back into their own world.

-#-#-#-

It was commotion and confusion when they came back, everyone had a million questions for them, about what happened, and what the alternate universe had been like. Buck had been fascinated when Anthony had explained that it had been Steve and not Bucky had been Captain America.

The relief from their return had turned into a little party of sorts and they’d all ended up in the common area with Bruce and Anthony talking a mile a minute about what had happened, having already lost everyone else in the room. Steve was glad, he knew Anthony was trying to rationalize what had happened to them, how it had worked, and Steve had no doubt this was not the last time he was going to be hearing about the multiverse.

For his part, Steve was happy to be home, it had been unnerving seeing himself as Captain America, and if he was honest he’d thought the other Steve had been an absolute ass.

Settling back on the couch with a heaping plate of Chinese food in hand, Tony pressed against him he finally felt himself begin to relax. The others laughed and talked, filling them in on what they’d missed in the two weeks they’d been gone. That one had surprised Steve, they’d only spent two days on their end. He tried not to think about it too much, his brain was already a sponge on the best of days, this was beyond him.

Soon after Thor insisted on having a toast, pressing a drink on everyone. Not that the Asgardian needed an excuse, but he did love a good toast. Steve wrinkled his nose as Thor handed him a beer.

Anthony at his side chuckled taking it from him and passing it to Rhodes before he disappeared into the kitchen returning with a Shirley Temple in hand. Steve felt his lips curl pleased as he accepted the drink and Tony settled beside him a cranberry and club soda in hand.

“To Anthony and Steven, for coming back to us safe and sound,” Thor boomed, Steve raised his eyebrows as the others echoed.

“Only people I know who have not only time travelled, but now travelled to an alternate reality,” Bruce added.

Rhodes snorted then, "Tony does seem to move from one calamity to another.”

Anthony huffed at his side, “Really Rhodey?”

Clint had a teasing look in his eye, “Not sure how Steve puts up with it.”

Steve sipped his Shirley Temple unconcerned, “I’m a ride or die kind of gal.”

There was a heartbeat of silence then they all lost it, Sam trying to explain to Bucky and the others trying to explain to Thor, admits the laughter Anthony leaned close pressing a kiss to his lips sweetly before leaning into him resting on his shoulder with a pleased sigh.

Steve wrapped his left arm around him content.

-#-#-#-

Tony woke in the wee hours of the morning confused and disoriented, “Steve?” he immediately reached out looking for the man. Heaving a relieved sigh when his fingers found the wide, warm chest of the other. Shaking he pressed on it grounding himself as he tried to gain his baring’s.

The chest under him moved and a cool metal hand covered his, “Anthony love,” the voice was husky with sleep.

“Where….we…” he tried to get out.

“We’re home love, in bed, back in our time,” Steve assured him sounding more awake now, but the voice still that sweet husky rasp. Tony felt himself start to relax the fear that had been coiling in him beginning to unwind. He was home, they were back, they were safe and sound. 

He was safe with Steve.

Tony rolled closer needing to feel Steve, to reaffirm, reassure himself. Seeking out the lips of the other he was kissing him, rough hands rasping through the scruff on his cheeks before burying in blonde hair as he slanted his mouth over the others again and again.

His mind was awake again, and in the quiet silence of the bedroom he was thinking…worse he was remembering. Seeing it all again, going back to the beginning, even in a different timeline it had resonated with him. He could still feel that worry, the fear….he didn’t want to think about it anymore.

He rolled onto his back pulling Steve down on top of him, he wanted to feel him, he wanted his weight pressing him into the mattresses, pushing the thoughts from his head. Steve braced his arms on either side of his head so he didn’t crush him and Tony pressed close, unsure how to voice what he needed at that moment.

“Want you,” he mumbled as he moved his kisses down Steve’s jaw, wrapping his legs around the others trim waist, feeling Steve press against him, all warm flesh. Tony groaned, Steve had a tendency to sleep in the nude and while part of Tony was all for it, the man was also a menace to Tony’s concentration.

Steve pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat before he shifted reaching for the lube on the bedside table. Tony took the moment to wiggle out of his own boxer briefs before returning to kiss every inch of skin he could reach.

It was a sweet slow burn that took them then, in the dim early morning. A lassitude settling over them as they kissed and caresses, Steve taking his time as he opened him up, as they shared gentle sweet touches, and whispered words of love that were just for them. Tony whined aching back into the fingers wanting, needing, and Steve seemed to understand. Strong hands guided his hips and he was sliding carefully in pausing for Tony to adjust to the burn and stretch and oh god it was sweet.

“Steve,” he murmured reaching for him pulling him down so his weight was on him again, pressing him gently into the mattress. Steve went to move to pull back but Tony wrapped his legs on his waist drawing him closer pressing into him.

“Stay,” he whispered, request boarding on pleading.

Steve wrapped his arms around him then pulling him closer, and Tony shuddered pleasantly feeling overwhelmed by Steve, his weight, his smell pressing him down. Steve moved then carefully, gently, and Tony came apart.

“Yes, yes, yes,” he gasped as Steve set a steady rhythm his weight just shy of crushing him it was sweet and perfect, and he hadn’t realized just how much he’d needed it. His own throbbing erection was trapped so tightly between them, the delicious friction making his head swim, and his body shudder. Suddenly, he was cumming, a slow sort of gentle crest, surprising him, and perhaps Steve a little as he paused in his movements.

"Ok?" his voice was as soft as he could.

Tony buried his face closer, not ready to stop, “Keep going,” he pleaded.

Steve made a soft noise of understanding as he complied, continuing that gently roll of his hips the movement pinning Tony so perfectly beneath him. He lost track of time then, his world narrowing to this one perfect moment. Swollen lips, the faint whisker burn on his neck, the musky smell in the air as the clean sweat that rolled down Steve’s back. Tony could feel the thick muscles bunch and clench, the slight tremble in them as he held himself in check.

All for Tony.

Tony smiled a secret smile, this man could break him so easy, he was dangerous, terrifying…and yet so sweetly gentle it made his heartache. Hitching his hip higher, he nipped gently at Steve’s ear.

"Let go, love," he whispered.

Given permission, Steve moved then, and Tony clung to him, it was a heady feeling that he had so much power over someone so powerful. Then his thoughts fled as he felt Steve shudder in his arms hips stuttering erratically before he thrust deep once more and Tony felt the wide chest rumble softly again his own.

Steve collapsed carefully on him laying his head on his chest near his arc, and Tony tangled his fingers in blonde hair.

Feeling so perfectly blissed-out, he closed his eyes humming in contentment.

“Ok?” Steve asked and Tony could feel the rumble more than hear it.

“I am now, thank you,” Tony looked down at the head on his chest a soft smile crossing his face. Steve looked back at him curious but content.

“I was thinking about the other timeline ….I dunno…” he sighed and he honestly didn’t know.

“The other…the Steve that was Captain America, did you…was he…better?” Steve’s voice was hesitant, as he struggling for words.

Tony understood though, and a fierce wave of protectiveness rose up in his chest.

“No,” he asserted, he reached down cupping the face on his chest making sure those intense blue eyes were looking at him, “No Steve, you are perfect, and you are mine.”

The face he held smiled and Tony caught his breath, it wasn’t that sweet smile he remembered from 1945, but it wasn’t a snarl either, and it was so perfectly Steve he had to kiss him again.

Eventually Tony needed to move he was sticky and uncomfortable, gently pushing Steve’s shoulder so they were rolling out of bed and heading for the shower. A thought coming to him as he watched Steve start the shower and get it warmed up, “Did you notice that weird tension between Buck and Sam tonight?”

Steve looked at him over his shoulder lips turning up in a bit of smirk, “I ship that,” he murmured.

Tony couldn’t help it he laughed then moving to join his lover in the shower.

“You’re such a troll love,” he murmured kissing him on the lips.

Steve hummed tugging him close under the spray, “But you love me.”

Tony was unable to help he felt the warm flush in his chest as he pressed close, “I do, always.”

“Maybe next time we just take a regular vacation,” Steve rasped.

Tony chuckled, “I do think I owe you, but you know we could-“ he was cut off by a sweet kiss and Tony couldn’t be happier. He didn't know what the future held for them, but he knew at this moment, all he needed was Steve…and the rest…well, the rest was just spoilers.

End.


End file.
